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Are Pope Leo's ancestors from Cuba? Genealogy researchers in Miami think so
It has become an old joke in the Cuban American community to note that Cubans seem to be everywhere. And so, when Pope Leo was elected to lead the Catholic Church and traces of his rich heritage began to emerge, including an ancestor who had been born in Havana, a Cuban genealogist in Miami rushed to figure out if this was just an isolated case ...Read more

The God Squad: The war
To explain the unique spiritual fears of the Jewish people is quite difficult. In a way it is like trying to explain to a white person what it feels like to be a Black person. There are some feelings that we just cannot adequately share with people who do not share our history or faith.
Let me try.
One day during an attack on Israel by Iraqi ...Read more

Is it possible to comprehend such a miraculous work as this?
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham
Q: The recent events in space have been fascinating to watch. To think that the world was spoken into existence is beyond imagination; yet I do believe in the God who created it all. Is it possible to comprehend such a miraculous work as this? – C.G.
A: When an image of God comes to mind, many think...Read more
What is the famous passage in Second John that emphasizes the importance of walking in obedience to God's commandments?
A) 2 John 1:1-6
B) 2 John 1:7-13
C) 2 John 1:14-24
D) 2 John 1:25-30
What is the famous passage in Mark that contains Peter's confession of Jesus as the Christ?
A) Mark 2:1-12
B) Mark 4:35-41
C) Mark 6:30-44
D) Mark 8:27-38

Jesuit priest with Bay Area ties accused of sexual assault of minors
SAN JOSE, Calif. — A prominent Catholic priest with ties to the Bay Area is behind bars in San Luis Obispo County facing charges of sexually abusing three boys starting in the early 1990s, and police think there are more victims.
Theodore Gabrielli, 61, was arrested June 12 in Los Osos, near Morro Bay, and charged with three counts of ...Read more
What is a 'supernatural church?' Five things to know about a growing Christian branch
MIAMI -- “Miracles happen here.”
That’s the slogan of one megachurch in southwest Miami-Dade County at the forefront of the fast-growing Christian “supernatural” movement.
It’s an Evangelical offshoot, rooted in Pentecostalism, that leans far more heavily into revelations and prophecy than mainstream Christian churches and wields ...Read more

Should Christians walk around with a persecution complex about secondary things?
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham
Q: I know that Jesus suffered physically as He was brutally crucified for the sins of the world. And I know that the disciples experienced atrocities for their faith. But some of my Christian friends say they are being persecuted because of their faith in Jesus. They are laughed at for not doing ...Read more

Pope Leo XIV related to Madonna, Justin Bieber and Angelina Jolie
The newly appointed Pope Leo XIV has several star-studded branches on his family tree.
The New York Times took deep dive into the new pope’s lineage and found that his cousins include Madonna, Justin Bieber and Angelina Jolie.
The Catholic leader, who made history by becoming the first American pope following the death of Pope Francis, also ...Read more

Jimmy Swaggart in critical condition after cardiac arrest
Louisiana televangelist Jimmy Swaggart remained in critical condition Tuesday, two days after he suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed at his home.
Swaggart, 90, was found at his Baton Rouge residence around 8 a.m. Sunday, with first responders immediately administering CPR and taking him to a hospital, his family said on Facebook.
“He ...Read more

How many US adults have connections to Catholicism? What new survey finds
Catholics make up one of the largest religious groups in the United States — more than any Protestant denomination — and many who don’t identify with the faith still said they have a personal or family connection to it, according to a new survey.
Nearly half of Americans, 47%, said they have a relationship to the Catholic faith, with 20% ...Read more

What can be said to people who say the Bible can’t be trusted because it contradicts itself?
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham
Q: What can be said to people who say the Bible can’t be trusted because it contradicts itself? I am hesitant to say much because I doubt that I can say anything to change their minds. – B.D.
A: It is man and not the Bible that needs correcting. Greater and more careful scholarship has shown that ...Read more

Massachusetts officials face heat for push to ban religious groups from renting school space
BOSTON — City officials in Salem, Massachusetts, are under fire as they push to ban churches and religious groups from renting public school space.
While the Salem School Committee moves forward with the proposal, a free speech and religious liberty group is threatening that it will sue The Witch City for “anti-Christian witch hunts.”
...Read more

What is “the grace of God,” and where is it found?
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham
Q: Just about everyone is familiar with the song “Amazing Grace,” but what do pastors mean when they talk about “the grace of God,” and where is it found? – G.G.
A: Grace means “undeserved favor or goodness.” It refers to much more than His kindness and mercy, although those traits are ...Read more

Is there an answer regarding marriage?
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham
Q: I’ve waited a long time to marry and now I am going to take the step, but I am still scared to death that it will end in failure. I’m also afraid that if I don’t overcome this that the emotion itself will scar the relationship. Is there an answer? I want our lives together to be blessed by God...Read more

Should I spend time in Bible reading and prayer?
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham
Q: I’ve been trying to serve the Lord, and there’s plenty to do, but I feel there’s also something missing. My pastor asked me if I was spending time in Bible reading and prayer. I honestly had to say no, because of the many events to attend in order to find ways to witness for the Lord. He ...Read more

Exhumed Minnesota priest gets new resting place as supporters start push toward sainthood
DULUTH, Minn. – A procession of hundreds of Catholics carried a small casket with the remains of the “Patriarch of the Diocese of Duluth” to a new resting place this week, as church officials prepare to lobby for his inclusion among the saints.
The short procession to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary was led by priests, deacons and...Read more

Commentary: Why nostalgia for the 1950s of 'Leave it to Beaver' persists in America's religious right
Anyone looking to drench themselves in the 1950s nostalgia currently favored by the religious right in America should consider watching “Leave It to Beaver” stoned. Which is what I did with an old friend in the 1980s while attending graduate school at the University of California-Berkeley.
Nostalgia for the ’50s — that land beyond time ...Read more

The God Squad: If Hitler was crossing the street
Q: Dear Rabbi Gellman, you asked if we must unconditionally forgive. I used to go to a priest for spiritual counseling, Monsignor James Cooney. One day, a co-worker said she could never be a Christian because she would have to love and forgive everyone, including people who hurt her. I didn't know how to answer her and spoke to Msgr. Cooney ...Read more

Is this acceptable to God?
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham
Q: I lead an unusual kind of Bible study where the group selects topics they’d like to learn about; one example is lewd language overtaking news coverage. Many journalists are outspoken Christians; some even lead Bible studies. Yet in spite of their talk about prayer, things come out of their mouths ...Read more
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